Disturbance
by Just Groovy
Summary: **Complete!!** After a huge disturbance in the Force, Jaina is missing and Jacen is separated from the Force. Luke must act quickly to save the twins. Please R&R!
1. Privacy

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Or planets. Or anything aside from the plot. Quick and important note: This won't really include any of Jacen and Jaina's friends. It is about the twins, their parents, and their uncle (that'd be Luke). Anyway, please R&R. And keep in mind that I wrote this a while ago, so it's not my greatest writing, but it's fun--and it will be continued. This is not the end.

* * *

Jacen Solo looked over at his sister and swallowed nervously.

"Steal the data chips for Uncle Luke's datapad?" he repeated, unsure of whether Jaina was dead serious.

She was. "Jac, it'll be easy. And aren't _you worried about how Uncle Luke's been acting recently?"_

"Y-yes. But we could get in big trouble."

"_If we're caught. And we won't be."_

Jaina Solo fixed her twin with a penetrating stare. Her pale brown eyes searched his face and her mind searched his soul. Jacen had no doubts as to whether she could get the data chips. She was a mechanical whiz, dismantling ships, droids, everything. Jacen preferred living things to inanimate objects. He had a whole little zoo of various species that he took care of and studied.

The twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo were not living at home on Coruscant with their little brother Anakin. They were at Luke's Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. The academy was located in an old temple surrounded by woods. The students were free to enter the woods whenever they felt the need, but there was evil there. Not a lot, but enough to get the sense that it was not fully safe.

The datapad Jaina was intent to get was not a normal datapad that everyone carried. It was a Jedi version. Jedi used it to record information that they wanted found by their followers after they became one with the Force.

"Jacen?"

Jacen pulled his mind out of his thoughts and looked back at his sister. "Fine."

Jaina grinned. "What are we waiting for? 

* * *

The Solo twins crept quietly to Luke's office area. He used the small, bare, windowless room for meditation, and for conferring privately with his trainees.

To the children's delight, Luke was not there. They sneaked in and Jaina found the datapad in its usual corner while Jacen stood guarding the door.

Jaina pried the back off and pushed a jumble of wires away. She pulled out the data chips and connected three wires from her pocket to different sockets. Then she added three new data chips to replace the three she had removed.

"Tionne's coming," Jacen whispered. "She's not within sight yet, but I give it forty-five seconds."

Jaina put the datapad exactly as she had found it and she and her brother hurried off. 

* * *

Jacen stood looking over his sister's shoulder as Jaina placed the data chips into the computer in the main student computer center. She typed a flurry of commands and the computer brought up a single typewritten message.

Jacen and Jaina, please come to my office.

Jaina gave a quick intake of air, and Jacen knew she was surprised.

"How _does he do that?" Jacen asked. She had no answer. _

* * *

Luke Skywalker sat in the center of the floor in his office, eyes closed. He had changed much since the day he and the old man called Ben met a sarcastic pilot named Han and went off to rescue the beautiful princess Leia. He was a Jedi Master, calm and serene, not impatient and dreamy. His face bore the look of a man who has seen many battles, had many friends die, and learned much.

Despite all this, when Luke smiled, he was transformed once again into a boy, young and wistful. His lean figure had taken on more muscle, but his sandy hair was still shaggy, and his eyes still the purest blue.

But right now, Luke was not smiling. He was frowning. His eyes still closed in meditation, and the frown relaxed, mostly. He waited patiently. He did not have to wait long.

Jacen and Jaina slipped wordlessly into the office, forgoing the knock. They had known he was meditating, and had not wanted to disturb him. They sat, reflecting their uncle's cross-legged position. Luke spoke without opening his eyes.

"Can you define privacy?"

Jacen and Jaina looked at each other.

"Um," Jacen stuttered. "Being left alone? Maintaining a level of secrecy?"

Luke's eyes opened, and he pinned his gaze on each of his sister's children. "Yes. Should privacy be invaded?"

This time, Jaina spoke. "But recently, you've been acting so—_different."_

"Yes or no, Jaina."

"No, _sir." Jacen glanced sideways at his sister, to see if the emphasis placed on the sir had been from disrespect. He couldn't read her face. Uncle Luke chose to ignore it._

"Correct. Can you justify your actions?"

Jacen could've burst out and said it was all Jaina's fault because it _was her idea. But he would never do that to his twin sister, and besides, Uncle Luke would point out that he had agreed to help. And he had. No point in arguing that._

"No, sir," Jacen said. "It was wrong. But still, we are worried about you, Uncle Luke. You've been acting so—withdrawn. If you could tell us why…"

"No." Uncle Luke's response came swiftly and sounded almost harsh. Then he shook his head and his voice softened. "I'm sorry. I would tell you if I could. But sometimes not knowing is the best. For your own good."

"If there's anything we can do—" Jacen started.

"No." Luke cut his nephew off. "Please, go to your chambers and meditate on the power of authority. It is all right to question your elders, within reason. Be mindful of the limits, my young Jedi."

The twins nodded and started to the door. Luke reached out with his mind and stopped Jaina. Silently he held out his hand. Jaina dropped the data chips into it and Luke looked into her face.

"Jaina, remember respect. Trust. Have trust in me and I can have trust in you." He said it so quietly, Jaina knew her brother couldn't hear. Jaina pulled away from his mental hold without a word of apology. She knew this was uncalled for, but she was upset. She turned and left Uncle Luke's chambers.

Outside, he could hear Jacen talk to Jaina.

"What'd he say?"

"Nothing."

Luke looked down at the data chips in his right hand and closed the artificial fingers around it. From behind him came a low warble.

"Artoo! Didn't hear you come up."

Artoo-Detoo beeped.

"No, Artoo, I can't tell them. They can't know."

Artoo grumbled.

"I know, Artoo. Curiosity may spawn knowledge, but this knowledge is something that can really hurt them. I can't risk letting the twins near the dark side."

Artoo twittered.

"I _do remember C'boath. Maybe I managed to get away, but the kids aren't strong enough. Not yet. Not for anything this big."_

The beeps and whirs were almost too fast for Luke, but he caught the main idea.

"Calm down. I can take care of them until they're strong enough. And no! I'm not smothering their childhood! I can't tell them yet. When the timing is right."


	2. Disturbance

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Thank you for all of the reviews. I especially appreciate those reviews that are positive. Constructive criticism is fine. Unprovoked flames are not held in as high esteem, but if that's your way of raising your own self-esteem, knock yourself out. Again, remember I wrote this a while ago, and it is not my greatest writing. Also, this chapter is in stream of consciousness, so that's why it is a bit, er, stream of consciousness.

* * *

Jaina bit her lip and glanced at Jacen. They were sitting in Jaina's chambers in the midst of tools and half-dissembled bits of machinery. Jacen was holding a stump lizard, petting its shimmering scales. Listlessly, Jaina picked up a hydrospanner and began fiddling with an optic sensor of a former droid. Jacen sighed and spoke up.

"Jaina, there is something seriously wrong here. Uncle Luke never acts like this. He's too cut off. When something bothers him, he usually tells us all."

"Have you thought about it, Jacen? Really thought it through?"

"What do you mean?"

"Think like Uncle Luke. Systematically. Have you sensed a disturbance in the Force?"

Jacen was about the shake his head when it happened.

A searing feeling rushed through his brain, isolating him, taunting him. An evil voice laughed in triumph and a single voice screamed in agonizing pain. Not physical, emotional.

No! Jacen wanted to yell. There is no emotion, there is peace!

His lips formed the words, but nothing came out. He realized he was gasping for breath. There was a loss. An indescribable loss. It was horrible, awful, and he couldn't pinpoint what had been lost. He could only see red, black-red—the color of anger.

But anger leads to hate! He still couldn't speak. All he heard was the two voices, one triumphant, one losing.

Then it was over. And the voice screaming had been his own. And worse, the incredible, indescribable loss had been Jaina. 

* * *

Leia Organa Solo finally had a moment of peace. A moment without badgering representatives, chatty droids, and all of the other annoyances that the Chief of State had to put up with constantly. Best of all, as she sat there on the edge of her bed, Han came in.

"Han!" It was extremely rare that they both took a break from the schedules of their busy days.

Han Solo came over and hugged his wife fiercely.

"Good to see you once it a while," he said, grinning.

"Yes," she responded, laughing.

Then it struck her. She sat up rigidly, a wave of nausea hitting her stomach, doubling her over. A child screamed, over and over. Another child screamed once, a short, cut off yell of pain. Then the second child was silent. But the first continued, screaming and crying.

The nausea hit her again, and she burst into tears, oblivious to Han's frantic questioning.

"Leia, Leia, honey, what is it? What?"

She pulled through the haze of pain. "A dis-disturbance in the Force. And our children were in the center of it."

Han pulled back, away from her. "No," he whispered. "They're okay, Leia. They're okay. Luke promised that he'd—" But he couldn't convince himself. He'd thought that the Force was some kind of hokey religious thing, but he'd overcome that and knew better than to ignore it when his wife said there was a disturbance.

"Han, we have to go to Yavin 4."

"Are the kids okay?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I really don't."

"I'm calling Luke." 

* * *

After shooing Artoo from his office, Luke sighed and sat down. The twins were causing him no end grief. He just _couldn't tell them the truth. He was learning to accept it himself._

The Empire was still in existence.

Still there. Hiding. Waiting. For what? What could possibly be so important that they had waited all these years? Their Emperor was dead. Was killed by Luke's own father, in fact. And yet a large group of Imperials was out there, at the far reaches of the galaxy, biding their time.

But the New Republic had found them. Spies had penetrated the thick curtain that the Empire was hiding behind. He didn't know the details, but then, no one did. All they knew was that it was there. Still.

Luke shook his head gently, stretched his arms out and then folded them, closing his eyes, running through a few Jedi relaxation techniques.

There is no emotion; there is peace.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

There is no passion; there is serenity.

There is no death; there is the Force.

He opened his eyes again and stood up. Just to be knocked flat on his back by an unseen force. His head slammed against the floor and he opened his eyes to see a blurry, faint shadow standing over him. He couldn't make out any identifying features. It was purely a shadow. Some species he wasn't familiar with at all. Or maybe it was another Jedi. A bad one. It was laughing. Evilly. Luke pulled himself backwards, away from the cruel shadow. Then everything went black.

Through the blackness came a scream, and another, sharper. They roared through his head, strangling his mind. The twins. More screaming. Pain. Leia needed him. Jaina's screams stopped, cut off abruptly, but Jacen's continued. Pain, darkness, evil, anger, emotion. Luke shivered, and the screaming, pain, and suffering faded away as Luke completely lost consciousness.


	3. Call

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are not mine. That's all I have to say. Reviews are good. Uninformed reviews are...uninformed. I looked back at chapter 2 and found that I have indeed used " and '. But if you didn't see them, that's okay. I don't mind. Like I said--reviews are great. And _please_ bear in mind that I wrote this a while ago. It is not my best writing. 

* * *

Jacen sat on Jaina's bed, covering his face with his hands. He had heard stories of Empire before, and he knew the horrible sensations the stories gave him. That had been the Empire.

But it made no sense. The Empire was gone. Uncle Luke had said so. How could they be back? Was that what Uncle Luke had been worried about?

And Jaina.

When Jacen had pulled through the mental blanket that had been dropped over him, Jaina was gone. When he drew his mind back to the disturbance, he _thought he heard her scream, but only once. Was she dead? Had she been kidnapped? And what not both of them. Jacen almost wished that he had been taken with her, just so he'd know where she was. But what if she was dead? He couldn't put it past the Empire to kill a young girl just because she was a light Jedi trainee, let alone related to Luke Skywalker. But that brought him back to the Empire issue. Was the Empire still around?_

What Jacen needed were some real answers. There was one place he could get them. He went to find Uncle Luke.

* * *

Jacen found his uncle lying unconscious on the floor of his office.

"Uncle Luke? Are you okay? Uncle Luke?"

Tionne entered the small chamber. She was a Jedi trained by Luke long ago, but had remained at the academy to help Luke and continue learning about the Force.

"Jacen, you're okay!"

"Yes, of course _I am."_

"There was a disturbance, and you and Jaina were in the center of it."

"Jaina's gone!"

"What!?" Tionne's gentle face was lined with fear and worry.

"Yeah," Jacen explained. "Something weird happened and Jaina disappeared. I came here to find Uncle Luke and he's unconscious."

"Master Skywalker!" Tionne called softly to Luke. "Please come back to us."

Luke didn't stir. Beeping came from the doorway. Artoo came in and hurried to his master's side.

"What is it, Artoo?" Tionne asked, even though Jacen knew she didn't understand the droid's language.

Artoo twittered out a message and shot out one of his arms towards Luke.

The arm emitted a bluish discharge of lightning. When it struck Luke, he moaned struggled to open his eyes.

"Uncle Luke?" Jacen peered at his uncle worriedly.

"Jaina?" his uncle asked.

"It's me, Jacen."

"No. Where is she?"

"Gone," Jacen said. "She's disappeared. I can't sense her anywhere."

Luke sat up quickly. Too quickly. He collapsed.

"Master Skywalker," Tionne said. "You must rest. I will help you to your chambers and Jacen can contact his parents."

"No." Jacen was surprised at the volume and force in Uncle Luke's voice. "I am okay." He sat up more slowly, and then stood. Jacen stood beside him to support Luke's lean frame.

A student raced into the room, and halted suddenly, taken aback by the scene.

"Master Skywalker?" His thin translucent limbs trembled with anxiety. "Are you all right?"

"I will be," Luke's voice was warm and soothing to the nervous trainee. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Master Skywalker, a man who says his name is Han is trying to contact you. He was quite forceful. He insists on talking directly to you and at once."

"Of course," Luke said, partially amused. The student reminded him of Threepio. "Don't be alarmed. He's my brother-in-law and he gets like this sometimes. It's okay. I'll go take care of it."

"Me too." Jacen looked up at Luke, his eyes pleading.

"Certainly." Luke smiled reassuringly at his nephew, knowing all the while that Jacen was far beyond the point of reassurance.

* * *

Han Solo's holograph was looking extremely angry when Luke and Jacen reached the communications room.

"What kind of idiot refuses to let me talk to you!? You too high and mighty for us now?"

"Han, calm down. I had asked not to be disturbed. I was meditating."

"Yeah sure, kid." His tone was sarcastic.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked.

"Leia says something happened with the Force. She says it was about the kids."

"Yeah," Luke said tiredly. "It was."

"Are they okay?"

"Well—"

"Don't play with me, kid. _Are my children okay!?"_

Jacen had been hiding behind Luke, but now he pushed out in front of him.

"Jaina's gone, Dad!"

"WHAT!?"

Luke broke in. "Han, I don't know the whole story, but the Emp—you and Leia come out here and we'll talk about it. We have to go get Jaina back and I don't know if this line is tapped."

"Who would tap this line?" Han looked furious with Luke.

"Come out here immediately, okay? We _have to talk. It's an emergency."_

Something in Luke's voice made Han stop. "Fine. We'll be out there as soon as we can."

Han abruptly cut off the transmission, and Luke leaned against the wall and shut his eyes.

"Uncle Luke?"

"I'm okay, Jacen. You should get some rest, though. You look like bantha fodder."

Jacen gave a weak smile. "Tell me if there's an update on Jaina, okay?"

"Sure." Jacen left and Luke stared after him. He had an amazing bond with Jaina. He wondered if he and Leia had grown up together…

No, he shouldn't think about the past. Be mindful of the past, but not at the expense of the present, Ben Kenobi had once told him. He opened his eyes, ready to deal with the present, with the past in mind.


	4. Falcon

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, locations, movies, books, or anything else pertaining to Star Wars. I just made up the plot. Thank you for reviewing, those who do. I appreciate it.

* * *

The _Millennium Falcon landed as gracefully as it could, considering all it had been through. The ramp went down, and a lone figure stood, ready to greet the occupants._

Leia came down first, and ran over to Luke, hugging him. Han walked stiffly down the ramp, followed by Chewbacca. See-Threepio followed, but started in the opposite direction, where Luke could see Artoo, rocking excitedly back and forth on his stubby little feet.

"Luke, is Jacen okay?" Leia asked.

"He's fine, a little worn out, but fine," Luke answered. "I told him to go get some rest and haven't seen him since. We have to talk. There are some complications I need to discuss with you."

"Right," Leia said. "Is Jaina okay, though?"

Luke paused. "To tell you the truth, Leia, I honestly don't know."

Leia looked at him meaningfully, then entered the temple. Luke glanced at Han. Han's face was contorted in worry and grief. He covered it with his temper.

"This never would have happened if you could keep an eye on things!" Han accused.

"Han—"

Before Luke could finish the sentence, Han's fist jumped out and caught Luke's jaw, snapping the younger man's head to the side and forcing him to fall to the ground. Han was about to jump on him with both fists when Chewbacca bodily lifted him off the ground. Luke stood, shakily, and wiped blood from his face. Chewbacca growled a warning, but Luke wasn't stupid enough to engage in a fistfight with the more experienced Han. He also wasn't going to use the Force to teach his brother-in-law a lesson. There was too much of a risk of anger.

Han jerked in Chewie's hairy grip.

"Put me down, you big furball! Leggo!"

Chewbacca growled at him.

"I don't care what you think! He let one of my children disappear from under his nose!"

Chewie barked a short response and carried the protesting and struggling Han into the temple. Luke sighed and followed.

* * *

The first thing Jaina noticed when she regained consciousness, was that she was not in her chamber on Yavin 4, nor anywhere else she recognized. The third thing she noticed was that Jacen was not here with her.

She was in a blank, white, uniformed detention cell. It was clean and windowless, the door looked like another wall. Why was she here?

Then it hit her. Right after asking Jacen if he had felt a disturbance in the Force, she had felt a strange voice laughing at her, and heard Jacen scream. She had given one yelp, then everything went black. It had cleared up once, and she had struggled to sit up, when an unidentifiable voice gave a yell, and she had felt a prick on her arm and everything disintegrated into blackness.

She realized now that she must have been drugged. And kidnapped. And locked up. Why? Was Jacen here at all?

The Empire. That was it. She had felt the Empire when the disturbance came, when she had regained consciousness for that short time, and now. She felt the dark side here.

Jaina's head was pounding. Her arm ached where they had put the needle in to drug her. But she dragged herself to her feet and went over to the door. She knew it was the door because it was across from the ledge that served as a bed. All Imperial detention cells had the same layout.

She pushed on every centimeter of the door, trying to find a secret release. There wasn't one; she hadn't expected one anyway. What now?

She didn't need to have wondered. She barely had time to jump back as the door slid open, revealing three stormtroopers, their blasters leveled on her.

The trooper in front spoke. "Come with us."

Refusing would have gained her nothing, but agreeing wouldn't either. She stood still and said nothing as the two back stormtroopers moved over to her and grabbed her arms.

* * *

Leia had beaten them to Luke's small office. When Chewie walked in carrying a nearly subdued Han and Luke wiped the last of the blood from his face, she put two and two together.

"Han!"

Luke spoke up quickly. "It's okay, Leia. Really."

"No it's not. Han, your temper is not going to get us anywhere. This is not Luke's fault at all!"

"Not his fault!?" Han spat from his disadvantaged position in Chewie's massive arms. He apparently wasn't entirely subdued. "We leave our children under his protection and he lets one of them disappear!? Some protection!"

"The children have been kidnapped before and you've never blamed anyone!" Leia half-yelled.

"Yeah, but not under these circumstances!" Han turned from Leia to Luke. "I thought we could trust you!"

Chewbacca let his opinion be known.

"Shut up, you hairy idiot!" Han told him.

Chewie dropped Han upside down, so he landed on his head. Han jumped up and reached for his blaster, but Chewbacca was quicker. He grabbed both of Han's arms and pinned them behind his back.

"No," Leia said. She had understood enough of Chewbacca's suggestion to agree with it. "Chewie's right. We need to put blame aside and worry only about Jaina. Han?"

"But—"

"She's right," Luke said quietly. "Jaina is in considerable danger. We must hurry."

Luke sat down, crossing his legs. Leia mirrored his position. Chewie pushed Han down and sat between him and Luke, ready for action.

"Tell us," Leia said to Luke. "Tell us what you know."

"Okay," Luke began. "I just found out last week, as you did, that the Empire still exists."

"Right," Leia nodded.

"I was meditating here, in my office," he continued. "When a being I couldn't identify came into this room and somehow knocked me out. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard the twins screaming, in my mind, and Jaina was cut off. Leia, I felt your pain, and Jacen's loss, but I didn't feel Jaina. She had disappeared. Even Jacen can no longer sense her presence."

"What does that mean?" Han asked dangerously.

"I don't know," Luke admitted, glad Chewie had positioned between himself and his brother-in-law. "She is gone. Perhaps the distance between her and Jacen is too great for even twins that share a bond like theirs cannot penetrate it."

"But you don't believe that," Leia said, with a flash of insight.

"No. I felt the Empire. I felt the dark side. Somehow, they were here, they got Jaina. I think they but some barrier between the twins, and the distance between them now probably doesn't help any."

"How do you know Jaina is so far away?" Han wanted to know.

"I'm just guessing, but I think that the Empire knows that we know approximately where they are—at the edge of the galaxy. I believe that they are setting a trap for us—you, Leia, and me—and Jaina is the bait. They want us to come try to rescue her, so they can get us."

"Makes sense," Leia agreed. "But then why did they only take Jaina? Why not Jacen as well?"

"My theory is that they only needed one to make us come, and they got Jaina. Maybe because she was closest to the door. Maybe because they thought that the average female of our species has a tendency to be weaker than the average male." As he said that last idea, he glanced at Leia, knowing well she was an exception.

"But if they wanted us, and you were here, helpless due to your unconsciousness, why didn't they just take you and be done with it?" Han asked. He was calming down.

"Because," Luke explained. "I think they have uses for all of us. They didn't take you or Leia because you were on Couruscant and Yavin 4 is closer to their hideout, because we're closer to the edge of the galaxy. And they didn't take me because I know how to find them and they need us to find them in order to walk into their trap."

"Yes," Leia said. "That makes sense. Have you thought any about what we're going to do?"

"Sort of." Luke glanced at Han. "We take the _Falcon there. I don't know if they're hidden on a planet or a ship. When we find out, we can figure out how to land. Then we find Jaina and leave."_

"That's a vague 'sort of'," Han growled.

"They probably have Jaina under high security," Leia added.

"Yeah, I know," Luke agreed. "But I truly don't know what to expect. We're going to have to play it by ear."

Han scowled. There was silence. Then Chewie bellowed his agreement.

"I'm in." Leia's voice was calm.

There was a pause and Leia nudged her husband.

"Fine," Han said angrily. "I'm in, but only because I'm not letting any of you crazy lugheads take my ship anywhere without me."

* * *

Unbeknownst to any of the adults in Luke's office, a boy sat outside of the door, listening, but keeping his presence unknown.

Jacen knew now that the Empire's existence was the reason Uncle Luke was all worked up recently. He also knew that his father blamed Luke for Jaina's disappearance. That was why he was so angry, and why Han had punched Luke. Jacen thought that his father could use a few lessons from Uncle Luke about anger control.

Uncle Luke had said Jaina was in considerable danger. What had he meant by that? He knew and loved Jaina more than any of the people in the office. Why couldn't he feel her. Brother and sister; twins. Together, they were invincible, right? Guess not.

The grown-ups were wrapping up their conversation. It was now or never. Jacen took a deep breath, steeling himself, and entered Uncle Luke's office.

* * *

All three adults looked up when Jacen entered without the prerequisite knocking. Luke spoke first.

"Jacen?" He said it mildly, but his undertone held a reprimand.

"I know it was the Empire," Jacen's words tumbled out. "They took her to the edge of the galaxy and you're going to get her back. I'm coming too."

Han looked at Leia. Leia looked at Luke. Luke glanced back at Leia, raising his eyebrows. Leia shook her head ever so slightly. Jacen's spirit sank.

"Jacen," Luke said quietly. "I think it would be better if you remained here under Tionne's supervision."

"But I know I can handle this! I've gone up against the Empire before! I want to go! Please?"

"Luke told you no," Leia said sternly. "You are to listen to him and take his word."

Jacen knew he had one last chance. With Dad angry at Uncle Luke…

"I want to go help my sister. She would do the same thing for me." Jacen directed this plea at Han.

"The answer is no, Jacen," his father said. "You heard Luke and your mother. I don't want to hear anything else about it. Understand?"

"But Dad—" Jacen protested.

"But nothing," Han said, unfeeling.

"We will be back soon," Leia said. "It will be quick and uneventful."

"Famous last words," Han muttered. Leia shot him a look.

"While we are gone," Luke said. "You must continue lightsaber training with a remote. Tionne will help you. And you may assist any of the other students as she sees fit. Okay?"

Jacen looked at the floor.

"Jacen," Leia prompted gently.

"Yeah," Jacen muttered. "Fine. Whatever."

He left the room, head down.

"He could handle it," Luke said quietly.

"But I am his mother, and I don't want him anywhere near this. I want at least one of my twins to be safe," Leia said.

Han nodded. "He is better off here, Luke. If I can keep him out of danger, I want to."

"It's your call," Luke agreed. "He's your son."

"We want him to stay here," Leia said.

"So be it," Luke promised.


	5. Umber

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. I just made up the story and Umber.

* * *

The stormtroopers had longer legs than Jaina, and she had to walk swiftly to keep up. She was trying to think of a way to get escape from this place, but nothing had fit into place. Even if she could break away from armed stormtroopers, where would she go? If she managed to get to an escape pod, they would surely shoot her down.

At least she had an idea of where she was. This was a large ship, apparently a star destroyer. And she was pretty sure that they were far from Yavin 4.

The stormtroopers rounded a corner and two more stormtroopers slid open a pair of double doors and escorted them inside.

A heavily guarded man stood there, facing a window. He turned to face Jaina. He was human, as the Emperor had always preferred in his followers, and was in his late forties. His face seemed empty, but his body agile and strong.

"Jaina Solo."

"What do you want?" Jaina used one of the two only weapons she had left—her spirit.

He _laughed! "Well, a feisty one. Do you know who I am?" Jaina was silent. "I am Grand Admiral Umber."_

"There are no Grand Admirals left," Jaina said defiantly. "You must have promoted yourself."

"Quite the contrary, my little Jedi. The Emperor promoted me."

"The Emperor is dead."

"Yes, but he hasn't always been."

"Why am I here?" Jaina got to the point.

"You are the bait of my trap."

"What?"

"I needed a way to lure your parents and Luke Skywalker here to their deaths. With the threat of them out of the way, I can take over the galaxy quite easily."

"Where's my brother?"

"Why, back on Yavin 4, if he knows what's good for him. After I get through with Skywalker and his friends, I will destroy the little _academy."_

Jaina drew in her breath sharply. "You—you—you—"

"Oh, I would mind my manners if I were you, young lady."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Yes I can. And I would suggest that you listen to me."

His voice was maddeningly calm. Jaina lost it. She reached out to the Force, her last remaining weapon, and sent a large black box that had been lying near her feet flying at him. Halfway there, it halted, hung in the air for a minute, then dropped harmlessly to the ground.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, no longer smiling.

_Jacen! She called though the Force. __Jacen! _

But it was like whispering normally across a star system. He couldn't hear her. They were _separated._

"He can't hear you," Umber said, grinning again.

He _knew. He could use the Force. The Dark Jedi were still around. This man was proof._

"Sith…" Jaina murmured under her breath. He was a Sith. Had to be.

"Now," Umber said. "You must make a decision. Will you or won't you cooperate with me?"

"I won't if you're going to kill my family," Jaina stuck out her chin and glared at him.

"There are ways to make you obey me, young Jaina."

Jaina scowled.

"And you will. Trust me, you will obey me."


	6. Stowaway

Disclaimer: I don't own the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot, and Umber.

* * *

Jacen stood by the _Falcon, thinking. When he had left Luke's office, he had come out here to think. Jaina would have made the decision he was pondering instantly, but he was thinking it through._

Once, when the twins were about ten years old and living on Coruscant, too young for the Luke's Jedi training, Han had to make a run in the _Millennium Falcon. He was going to deliver a load of supplies to Luke's academy on Yavin 4. When Jaina asked to come, Han had told her that she couldn't go and that was final._

But Jaina wouldn't take no for an answer. Telling only Jacen, she had sneaked aboard and hidden in one of Han's smuggling compartments. When they got to Yavin 4 and Luke and Han were unloading the ship, Luke had found her and she had gotten in _big trouble with first Luke, then Han, then Leia._

Still, the point was that it had worked. She had gone to Yavin 4 despite the fact that Han had refused to take her.

Jacen thought that if he could get to the Imperial hideout without being detected, he could slip off and find Jaina. Then his parents and his uncle would be so glad that Jaina was safe that they would forgo any punishment for Jacen disobeying.

On the other hand, when did anything go exactly as planned? If he was caught, he would be in trouble and worst, Uncle Luke wouldn't trust him anymore. It was bad enough having his parents be mad, but when Uncle Luke looked at him sorrowfully and said, 'I thought I could trust you, Jacen,' that was the worst.

But Jaina would do it. She would go save him if he were the one kidnapped by Imperials. She wouldn't be scared, or have second thoughts. What would she say to him now if he could hear her? He knew. 'What are we waiting for?' He had to do this. Uncle Luke and Mom and Dad could say what they wanted, but Jacen was going to do the right thing.

He slipped onto the ship and thankfully found it empty. He pried one of the floor tiles up, and found the space beneath it empty. He lowered himself inside and pulled the tile back over the yawning hole.

Inside the compartment, it was dark, musty, and cold. Obviously hasn't been used since Jaina's trip. He imagined a younger Jaina curled up in one of the corners, hoping in vain not to be found. He shivered and wondered if it got any colder during the actual flight. Probably.

Footsteps.

"Did you say goodbye to Jacen?" Leia's voice.

"No," Han answered. "Haven't seen him since we told him he had to stay here."

"It's better for him," Leia said.

Chewie bellowed his agreement.

"Maybe," Luke's voice cut in. "But maybe you have to let him grow up a little."

Han snorted. "Listen, kid. You have children, you can decide for them. But Jacen's _our son."_

"I understand," Luke responded. "I won't argue about it. He's a good kid, and he knows how to follow directions."

_Uncle Luke knows! Jacen thought. But then he rethought it. If Luke really knew, he would tell Leia and Han. He trusted their judgement. But he should have sensed Jacen by now. He was, after all, a Jedi. But the blanket that had been dropped over Jacen may be cutting off not only his ability to sense Jaina and other people, but other Jedi's ability to sense him. That made sense._

"I'm going to get the ship started," Han was saying. His and Chewie's footsteps trailed away.

"Oh my," came the prissy voice of Threepio. "Another trip on a starship going to fight Imperials. I tell you, Artoo, this time we're doomed for sure."

Artoo made a rude noise.

"Well, I say, that was uncalled for."

"Watch your language, Artoo," Luke admonished. "And Threepio, calm down. We are _not doomed. Why don't you two go run the pre-req. tests? Han usually doesn't bother with them and he should."_

"Why, certainly, Master Luke. Come along, Artoo."

Artoo grumbled, but complied. Jacen could hear Threepio's footsteps clanking, and Artoo's wheels squeaking as they left.

"Luke, do you think she's okay? Really?" Leia was asking.

"I hope so, but you know Jaina's tendency to talk back for what she believes in. That could get her into trouble," Luke answered.

"She does talk back a bit. Han hates it when she does that, but she's just like him. He doesn't want to believe he can be that annoying sometimes."

"Buckle up!" Han yelled from the cockpit. "We're leaving this joint!"

Jacen braced himself against the wall. It was going to be a long ride.


	7. Anger

Disclaimer: I don't own the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot and Umber.

* * *

"Sir?"

A naval uniformed man had entered and was addressing Umber. Umber turned his gaze from Jaina and looked at the newcomer.

"What is it?"

"A ship has lifted off of Yavin 4," he announced. "A scan identified it as the_ Millennium Falcon."_

"Excellent." Umber rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Keep surveillance ten on them."

"Yes sir," the man nodded and exited.

Umber turned back to Jaina. She met his stare and challenged it.

"They will lose," Umber said softly. "They cannot win against me."

"That's not true," Jaina returned calmly. "You will be the one to admit failure. Light triumphs over dark in the end. Always."

"That is what it may seem, my young Jaina, but you do not understand how the galaxy functions."

"Oh, well then, why don't you explain it to me?" Jaina asked sarcastically.

"The Emperor made sure to have back up, especially with the Rebels growing in strength and numbers. I was promoted to Grand Admiral and sent with a large amount of stormtroopers to the edge of the galaxy. Here. And it is from here that I have waited, watching from the background, never entering the fights or action. I studied the Rebel Alliance as no one else was able to do. In doing this, I found the very heart of the Rebels. That would be your mother, father, and uncle. I vowed to destroy the man who destroyed my Emperor. That man is Luke Skywalker. I will have my revenge. And take out the heart of the Rebels while I'm at it."

"The Rebels aren't Rebels anymore," Jaina told him. "We are the New Republic now. And it would be extremely hard to disband the New Republic."

"You know nothing of politics."

"I do so! My mother is the—"

"Chief of State," he nodded gravely. "Yes, I know."

Something was bothering Jaina. "But why take me? Why not Jacen too? Why not both of us?"

Umber shook his head. "Two people can conspire. And I only need one to bait your parents and uncle."

"Then why not Jacen?" Jaina persisted.

"Simple. You were the closest child to the door. We would have had to step over you to get your brother."

"So it was a toss up?" Jaina asked.

"I suppose you could call it that," Umber said thoughtfully.

"How come I can't sense him?" Jaina asked, hoping he would answer.

"He cannot use the Force. He is _separated from it." Umber grinned, almost gleefully._

"_Separated!?"_

"He cannot reach the Force, use it, anything. And that means no one can sense him either. As though he doesn't exist."

"_You are doing that!?" Jaina asked, disgustedly._

"Yes. I can override his weak, underdeveloped 'connection' with the Force," Umber said tauntingly. "Now. I must review my plans for the death of your family. You are excused." He turned his back to her and the stormtroopers advanced.

She grabbed the box with her mind and hurled it at him with all of her strength. It stopped a mere centimeter from his head and reversed, shooting back to strike Jaina against the shoulder. She fell to the ground and the box pinned her down. Jaina cried out as a horrible pain shot down her right arm, numbing it. The stormtroopers halted, unsure of what to do.

Umber turned back to Jaina and stood over her, glowering maliciously.

"Now I'm angry."


	8. Revealed

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot and Umber. Please, _please _bear in mind that I wrote this a while ago, and it is _not_ my best writing.

* * *

Luke Skywalker grinned over the holo board at Han.

"Checkmate."

Han leaned back and laughed. "Not bad, kid. Now let's play sabacc and you can learn how to lose."

"Or you can get better at losing," Luke teased, even though he knew Han was the best sabacc player around. He had won the _Falcon in a game of sabacc._

"Pardon me, Master Han."

Han looked up at Threepio, who had just entered and was standing beside his stumpy counterpart.

"What is it, Goldenrod?"

"Well," Threepio began. "Artoo and I have been running pre-req. tests, which, by the way, have not been run is over eight standard years—" Luke tried unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter. Han shot him a wounded look. "—_anyway, Artoo is insisting that there is an intruder on board."_

"What!?" Han jumped up, proposed sabacc game forgotten. For the first time, Leia looked up from the book she had been reading.

"I'll go ask Chewie to run extra checks," she said and left for the cockpit.

Han reached for his blaster. Luke put a restraining hand on his arm.

"I don't sense anything," he said, bewildered. Artoo was never wrong about these things, but his Jedi senses rarely failed him.

"Weird," Han said. "But I'm not knocking Stumpy's sensors. He's never been wrong before."

Artoo whined at being called a name.

"Quiet Artoo," Luke urged, putting a hand on the handle of his lightsaber.

Han's forehead crinkled in concentration, and then he motioned to Luke. Together, they pulled a tile up, off of the ship. Huddled in the corner of the secret smuggling compartment was—

"_Jacen!?" Luke gasped as Han hauled the boy out by the collar of his tunic._

Jacen hung his head as the two adults looked at him, quite angrily.

"I can't believe it," Luke murmured.

"Believe it," Han said grimly.

"No, I mean I couldn't sense him. Leia obviously couldn't either."

"Look," Han said. "It's not time to bicker about who sensed who." Jacen didn't like the look on his face. Not at all. Uncle Luke's face wasn't any more promising.

Luke was looking at him sorrowfully, just as he'd predicted. "I thought I could trust you, Jacen," he rebuked gently.

"What's going on?" Leia demanded from the doorway. Chewie filled the whole doorway behind her. Leia rushed in. "Jacen!?"

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "Jaina would've done it."

Han glanced at his wife. "I'll take care of it."

She nodded and Jacen gulped.

* * *

The door to the cockpit slid shut silently. Jacen was left alone with his father. At least he only had to face one of them and only once. When Jaina had pulled this stunt, she had to face all of them, separately. He wished she were by his side. Whenever Dad punished the two them, Jaina had a way of talking around the issue and getting them out of trouble. Mom said she got it from her father, who could talk his way out of anything.

"Jacen?" It was a question.

"Dad, I'm sorry."

"I'll bet you are."

"Really. I'm just worried about Jaina."

"I wish you could've 'just worried' back on Yavin 4."

"Dad—"

"No," Han said tiredly. Jacen was surprised. Usually, Dad was the one to blow up and yell, while Mom and Uncle Luke made you feel guilty. Now Han was acting like them. Jacen was suspicious. What was the catch? "I don't want to hear your little excuses anymore. I wanted you safe, Jacen. Your mother wanted you safe. She wanted at least one of her children to be able to make it."

Jacen was shocked at his father's forwardness. "Dad, I—"

Again he was cut off. "You will listen to me, Jacen. If I had my way, I'd put you in an escape pod programmed for the nearest planet. However, the planets around here are mostly Imperial-friendly, and that would not be the safest thing. So you have to come along. But when we get back to Yavin 4, you and I are going to have a little, ahem, talk."

Jacen gulped again. There was the catch. Han's threat was a true one, he was sure. One that he had good reason to be afraid of.


	9. Coping

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot and Umber.

* * *

Jaina struggled in the arms of two troopers, dragging her into a small chamber. Her arm that had been struck blazed with pain. Umber followed behind, quietly.

"Put me down! Stop it!"

A trooper whacked the back of her head with the butt of his blaster, and Jaina, struggling not to lose consciousness, gave up her resistance.

The room, she saw, was a torture chamber, designed for pain and agony. The troopers threw her onto a metal table, tilted at forty-five degrees. They strapped her on and tightened the restraints around her arms, wrists, legs, ankles, torso, and neck. Jaina tested her strength against the metal restraints. No way out. They were on too tight.

A face came into view. Umber. How could she have ever thought his face was empty? It was full of evil. Full of the darkness that Jaina was learning to fight and triumph over. She wanted to close her eyes, block out the face of evil. But that would be to admit defeat. She kept her eyelids open, trembling. She'd heard stories about torture, and had faced the brainwashing power of the Empire. But she had never given in. Never. And she never would.

She prepared her body for the worst, not knowing what pain they would inflict upon her. She would have to use all of her Jedi strength to override the pain. But she could, and she would. They would not win. Light over dark. Always. Right?

* * *

Jacen sat in the control room of the ship, alone. He had chosen to stay in this cold room instead of with the adults who were so disappointed in him. But he _had done the right thing. He knew it._

_Jaina! His mind cried out achingly. But all that was there was a void. He could not sense her. It was like his ties to the everything he knew and believed in, to the Force, it was as if they had been severed completely, and Jacen was left hanging in the middle of space, without an oxygen tank._

Uncle Luke had tried to stop Jacen on his way to the control room, but Jacen didn't want to talk. He didn't want a reprimand from his uncle on top of one from his father. Uncle Luke wouldn't understand. He didn't know what it felt like to be stranded, _separated from his twin, not just physically, but mentally._

Every once in a while, Jacen could catch a drift of conversation from the cockpit. They were having trouble figuring out just where to go, and Leia and Han were arguing about what to do with the _Falcon and Jacen when they got there. Luke's voice was not heard._

"Jacen?" Jacen spun around to see his uncle drop into a cross-legged position in front of the door.

"Please, I don't want to talk."

"But talk you must." Luke's eyes looked through Jacen, but couldn't connect with anything solid.

"I don't understand," Jacen said. "What do you want? I'm sorry, okay?"

"No, you aren't," Luke corrected, amused. "Jaina would've done the same thing for you, huh?"

"Dad didn't buy it," Jacen looked at the gritty floor.

"No, but he doesn't understand. You and Jaina are twins, like Leia and myself. There is a _connection between you."_

"Was," Jacen muttered.

"Excuse me?" Luke asked.

"I can't sense her anymore." Jacen raised his eyes to meet his uncle's troubled blue ones.

"I don't understand it," Luke murmured. "When you were in the smuggling compartment, I couldn't sense you at all. When you left the room, I couldn't catch your attention mentally. It's like a void. As though you've been cut off from the Force."

"And Jaina."

"Yes," Luke amended. "And Jaina."

"This is creepy." Jacen shivered.

"A Sith…"

"Huh?" Jacen couldn't catch his uncle's mumblings.

"A Sith," Luke said more clearly. "A Dark Jedi. It's like a Sith is controlling this. But there haven't been any Sith since—Darth Vader was…converted."

Jacen looked at Luke's face. It was pained, and Luke looked down at his artificial hand, a remnant of his father's anger.

"Jacen," Luke looked directly at his nephew, full in the face. "Promise me, as my Jedi student, as my nephew, promise me you will obey myself and your parents. Jacen, this is very serious. This journey is very dangerous for you. Whatever one of us tells you to do, you must instantly obey. Promise?"

"Uncle Luke," Jacen began.

"_Do you promise me?"_

Jacen was taken aback. He had never heard Luke sound so intense. Luke's eyes bore into Jacen, but still couldn't connect. He had to trust Jacen's answer.

"I promise," Jacen responded, unsure of how he felt truthfully about this.


	10. Torture

Disclaimer: I do not own any Star Wars characters. I made up the plot and Umber. And this is my favorite chapter! I had _so_ much fun writing this chapter. Connections! Connections! The connections are mind-bogglingly groovy!

* * *

She had experienced physical pain. She knew the pain that came with being hit with stones or small lasers or pellets, even knives. She knew the pain that came hand in hand with fatigue the day after many push-ups. And she knew how to control it.

But Jaina was not ready, physically or psychologically, for this torture.

Umber dismissed the stormtroopers with a blunt wave of his hand. Jaina used her mind to unlatch a restraint around her wrist. Instantly, it was locked again, and Umber's mind pushed painfully against Jaina's. His lips played in a slight smile.

"Why are you doing this!?" Jaina cried.

"Why?" Umber repeated. "So you may understand. So you know why. So you see the reality of the Force. So you will see what has and will happen."

His answer was cryptic. Like a puzzle that wouldn't fit. Jaina's mind was being overpowered. Like it wasn't _her's anymore. Then it went black._

_She was in a hanger bay, a ship in front of her, but there were stormtroopers in the way. So many. They have to get to the ship. Now. But wait…_

_An old man with a neatly trimmed beard was engaged in a lightsaber duel with—no, could it be?—Darth Vader! _

_"Now's our chance! Go!" a familiar voice shouts. _

_Running to the ship—what's he doing? The old man raises his lightsaber, a serene look on his face. She can't believe it—he can't—he wouldn't—he would. Vader sweeps his lightsaber around, slicing the old man neatly in two._

_The dead man's robes flutter empty to the ground. It can't be! _

_"No!" Jaina yells the syllable, but the voice coming out of her mouth was that of a boy. _

_Stormtroopers level their deadly blasters at her. She returns their fire with her own blaster as the familiar voice from before yells out again. _

_"Come on!" Run to the ship. She must get out. _

_Running, running. _

_Stop! A deadly laser wall springs up in front of her. No—those were banned years ago. But it is there. Through the red laser shield, Jaina sees another lightsaber fight. The ship and the hanger bay were gone. A hideous monster of a man, with a red and black tattoo and yellow eyes battles against a man with long hair and a beard. The tattooed man has a double bladed lightsaber! _

_Jaina is impatient. She must get past the laser wall to fight alongside the bearded man. She tries to quell the impatient mind, but it is too clouded with fear. Fear! Fear is the worst enemy. _

_The bearded man is tiring. The tattooed monster thrusts the handle of his lightsaber up and strikes his opponent in the chin. As the bearded man staggers back, the monster advances and stabs his lightsaber into the other man's stomach. _

_"No!" But it is not Jaina's voice. The laser wall is down at last, and she races forward to strike out with the blue blade of her lightsaber. _

_But the blade turns into her own red blade, and the tattooed man's face melts into Umber's. Umber's!? Umber has a black blade, like one Jaina has never seen. She clashes with it, and from the other side, Jacen attacks with his own ruby red saber. Wait! Jacen and Jaina are not allowed to have lightsabers yet. They are too young and not well enough trained. _

_Umber easily wards off Jacen's feeble blow in time to clash again with Jaina. What's wrong with Jacen? Umber's saber pushes against Jaina's—black on red. Then his booted foot kicks out and connects painfully with Jaina's shin. With a push from his lightsaber, Umber throws Jaina down. He spins to lock blades with Jacen tirelessly. He pushes Jacen back and turns to deal with Jaina. _

_Umber flips over behind Jaina. She climbs unsteadily to her feet. He kicks her again and she falls helplessly. He kicks her still again, this time in the head. She cries out. Her arm that was struck with the box aches. Maybe it's broken. _

_Jacen thrusts his blade at Umber again. They begin a full-fledged fight. Jaina reaches to her brother with the Force, but he is not there. It strikes Jaina instantly, Jacen cannot use the Force! Jaina wants to get up, to go to him, but she can't. Her head… _

_Jacen staggers back. Umber takes advantage of his momentary imbalance and knocks the lightsaber from his hand. Jacen is defenseless. There's something__ missing. Something __will change. A missing person. Who is she forgetting? Jaina can't figure it out, but it's too late. Jacen!_

_Umber stabs Jacen through, and the boy crumples to the ground, lifeless. _

_"No!" Jaina shouts, and this time, the voice is hers. Umber turns maliciously and begins to stalk towards Jaina, but it doesn't matter. Jacen is dead. Jaina drifts into a welcome state of unconsciousness. _


	11. Control

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot and Umber.

* * *

Jacen had followed Uncle Luke back into the main room of the ship, at his uncle's request. But now he was here, he wished he had stayed in the freezing control room. Han and Leia looked up at his arrival. Chewie grumbled something unintelligibly.

Luke looked down at his nephew, seeing without sensing the boy's strong determination overpowered by his sense of guilt and embarrassment. Without the Force, he looked somehow younger, more vulnerable. Luke could begin to see why Leia and Han had wanted him to stay on Yavin 4.

Han pointedly ignored his son and instead asked of Luke, "We're getting close on the far reaches of the galaxy, kid. You want to use your Force stuff to get us to the right place?"

"Yes," Luke ignored the sarcasm. He also ignored the 'kid;' it made him feel embarrassed to be called that, especially in front of his niece or nephews. Of course, Han knew that. That was why he did it.

"Okay, come on up to the cockpit with me and Chewie, and we'll see what we can do to accommodate your mighty presence."

Luke took a deep breath and shook his head gently. "After you," he said to Han and followed his brother-in-law and Chewie up to the cockpit.

Jacen watched this exchange silently. Leia watched him. He became aware of this and turned to her. Looks like he would have to face all three adults like Jaina. But they didn't seem _mad per se, but more __thoughtful._

"Have a seat," Leia said to her son. He sat. "Honey, I—"

Then to Jacen's surprise, she burst into tears.

"Mom?" he asked quietly.

"I'm sorry—I just—"

"It's okay. I promised Uncle Luke I'd listen to you from now on. I mean it. I'm really sorry. It's just—Jaina—"

"Jacen, sweetheart. Something's wrong. It's—I don't know."

"You can't sense me? I've lost contact with the Force. I can't sense Jaina, you, Uncle Luke, anything. And no one seems to be able to sense me. It's strange."

"I know," Leia said, over her sudden emotional burst. "It is strange. But I'm sure it will clear up. And we'll find Jaina."

Jacen nodded, refusing to let himself think about what would happen if something went wrong. Nothing could go wrong. For Jaina's sake.

* * *

Han sat back in the pilot's seat, watching Luke in silence, a rare event. Luke, in the copilot's chair, was just sitting, his arms crossed over his chest, his brow furrowed in thought, and his eyes lightly closed. Chewbacca had grumbled about giving up his place in the cockpit to Luke, but now he sat, also in silence, behind Han.

Luke slowly opened his eyes, to see the other two staring at him. He swallowed and met their gazes.

"Pick anything up with that Jedi radar of yours?" Han asked, sarcastically.

"We're closing in," was all Luke said.

"What do you mean by that?" Han asked, losing his edge, truly curious.

"Well," Luke began. "I don't know how much you'll like this idea, but I think it would be best if you let me take over the controls." He put up his hand to stop Han's angry response. "I _can land the __Falcon safely, Han, and you know it." For some reason, Luke felt exactly like he was back on the farm on Tatooine, trying to convince Uncle Owen to borrow the skyhopper for some reason or another. He shook the feeling off._

"Right, kid. I'm going to let you pilot _my ship out to the far reaches of the galaxy!? I don't think so!"_

Luke hated using Jedi techniques on his brother-in-law, but the situation called for it.

"I will take care of your ship," Luke said with a slight wave of his hand.

"You will take care of my ship," Han repeated.

"You can trust me," Luke continued.

"I can trust you," Han said after him.

"Full control to copilot," Luke said. As a response, Han typed in a few commands and Luke was suddenly in control of the ship. Chewie growled, but wisely said nothing of the incident.


	12. Contact

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. I just made up the plot and Umber.

* * *

Waking up had hurt. Physically and emotionally. Jaina sat up, but was knocked flat on her back by the pain. Jacen had died. No—he was still alive, but who knew how long. She had to stop her family. They would be coming here. She would call out to Jacen with the Force.

_Jacen!…_

A void. He is separated!

He cannot use the Force. He is _separated from it. Umber's voice—taunting._

_No! Jacen! Jacen! Jacen. Jacen…_

It echoes because he is not there. He is not anywhere.

_Luke! Uncle Luke can use the Force._

_Uncle Luke!_ She can feel him. He is coming. _No! Don't come! Uncle Luke, he will kill you! You can't come, Uncle Luke! Don't come! He will kill everyone! Uncle Luke!_

The pain comes again, unbridled. It will kill her if she doesn't stop using the Force. She must wait. Everything will be okay—but it isn't. And it never will be again. Ever.

The pain was unbearable, a dull throbbing in the back of her unconscious mind. The haze had not lifted. Luke heard—but not completely. She must try again.

_Uncle Luke! Mom! Please. It's important! Do not come! Do not come! He's going to kill the galaxy. Kill it by sentencing it to the Dark Side. Forever!_

It was harder to touch the Force. It was leaving her. No! The Force never leaves us, we leave it. Don't leave it. They must hear.

_Mom! It's Jaina, you have to hear! He's killed Jacen! Someone was missing then. Please!_

No, her mind is muddled. Scrambled like the dust on the ground. But the ground is not dusty here, it's the hard metal of a detention cell. Jacen is okay.

_Uncle Luke! I'm so confused. But you can't come. You can't._

It was too much for her barely conscious mind to handle. Jaina slipped into a helpless state of unconsciousness.

* * *

Leia looked at her son lovingly. She wished he had stayed at the academy, but it was too late for that now. He lay on a metal bench, asleep from pure exhaustion. She was worried about him. He couldn't seem to connect to the Force at all.

She sat on the bench, next to Jacen's head, and smoothed his constantly unruly hair. Without Jaina and the Force, he seemed younger than Anakin. Leia leaned back, pressing her spine against the hard wall.

Then she heard Jaina, faintly.

_No! Jacen! Jacen! Jacen. Jacen…_

_Uncle Luke!… No! Don't come! Uncle Luke, he will … You can't come… He will kill everyone! Uncle Luke!…_

_Uncle Luke! Mom! Please… important… Do not come! He's going to kill the galaxy… by sentencing … to the Dark Side. Forever!…_

_Mom! … you have to hear! He's killed Jacen! Someone… missing then…_

_Uncle Luke! I'm so confused. But you can't come. You can't…_

Her voice faded until Leia could hear it no longer. Leia choked back a sob and got up as quickly as she could without disturbing her other twin child, who had not seemed disturbed by his sister's outburst.

She ran into the cockpit, and found Luke sitting back in his seat, eyes wide. He had heard it too. Han had the controls, and was glancing worriedly at Luke.

"Jaina," Luke managed.

"I know," Leia responded. "It's the Dark Side, all right. They have her, and plan to ruin the galaxy with her as a tool."

Han's head snapped up. "What!?"

"Jaina sent a weak message with the Force," Leia told him. "Telling us that someone is going to kill us and bring about the downfall of the galaxy."

Han set his mouth in a firm line. "All right, kid. Take the controls, and take this ship to my daughter!"

Luke took a deep breath and held the controls as Han gave the ship over to him, obviously not realizing that he had already given control to Luke. Luke frowned. Jaina had told him explicitly _not to come, but that was not even a question in his mind. She needed him. But what had she meant by the cryptic words, 'He's killed Jacen! Someone— missing then!'? Luke had no idea whatsoever._

* * *

"Master Jacen?" the prissy voice filtered into Jacen's groggy mind, and he sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Threepio! What is it?"

Artoo tweedled. "We are nearing our destination," Threepio translated. The ship rocked to one side and Jacen was thrown painfully against the wall. He got to his feet and strapped himself into a chair. Threepio groaned. "I believe that they have seen us."

Jacen realized that the ship was rocking because she was avoiding gunfire. The _Falcon swerved again. Leia struggled in and strapped herself in._

"Luke's found it. He's taking us in," Leia told Jacen. "And, Jacen, when we get there—"

"Yeah?" Jacen prompted.

"We want you to stay with the droids, okay?"

"Mom!" Jacen exclaimed. Here they were, on a rescue mission for _his twin sister, and she was telling him that he had to stay with the __droids!?_

"Keep an eye on him, Threepio," Leia told the lanky droid.

"I will, Mistress Leia. Artoo and I are ready to accept this responsibility."

Jacen winced. "So I'm a responsibility!?" he shot at Threepio before turning to his mother, ignoring the jerking ship. "Mom, you can't make me—"

"You heard me, Jacen. And you promised to listen to me in the future. Well, now's your chance."

He sighed, resigned. Her point was too good to argue.

"Promise, please, Jacen," Leia said softly. "I want your word."

The ship landed, a bumpy landing, and Luke and Han hurried out of the cockpit. Chewie was activating various alarms and locks as he followed. Jacen never answered his mother.

Han went first, his blaster drawn and at the ready. He gave a yell and popped off a few shots at stormtroopers who shot at the sign of any movement by the _Falcon as Leia and Luke ran out, Leia shooting with her own blaster, and Luke shielding himself with his lightsaber. The droids went next, as fast as they could totter/roll._

Chewie lifted Jacen off the ground, tucked him under his hairy arm, and ran out, shutting and locking the final door as he went. Seeing the last of his party safely into a new corridor, Han abandoned his one-man attack and followed.

The corridor was eerily deserted. Chewie put Jacen on the ground. Jacen stumbled back. Leia, seeing the predicament, took charge.

"Artoo, jack into that panel." She motioned at a supply room nearby. "You, Threepio, and Jacen stay in there till we come back for you. Understand?"

"No getting heroic notions, or as Threepio says, 'delusions of grandeur'," Luke added to Artoo, only half-joking. "We have to get Jaina and get out. Don't give us anything else to worry about."

Artoo made a defensive noise. Jacen started to say something, but a look from Han silenced him. Artoo jacked into the panel, let the three in, and locked the door.

"Well, I daresay we're safer in here," Threepio said, quite chattily.

"I don't care about being safer!" Jacen burst out. "Jaina's probably locked up somewhere, needing my help, and I'm locked up in here and I can't even sense her with the Force!"

"Master Jacen, I believe Master Luke will rescue her. He's quite clever, you know. For a human being."

Jacen put his head in his hands and ignored Threepio. Artoo seemed to have gone into some standby mode. Maybe his counterpart drove him crazy too.


	13. Here

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. I made up the plot and Umber, though.

* * *

Umber stood patiently, waiting for the future. When the late Emperor had first exposed him to the Force, the old ruler had drawn on his special unusual abilities.

Grand Admiral Umber could see into the past, and fairly well into the future. Of course, granted the future was always in motion, always changing. He had used these abilities on that young Jaina Solo, showing her the past and how the future looked to him.

The only problem was that something—no, someone—had been missing from that scene in Jaina's own future. Umber himself had no clue as to who it was, only that there was someone else. It gnawed at the back of his mind, torturing him with unknown knowledge.

A stormtrooper entered and stood at attention.

"What is it?" Umber asked.

"The _Millennium Falcon has arrived, sir," said the stormtrooper, muffled through his facemask._

"Yes." Umber smiled. "I know."

"The occupants evaded our fire and escaped down the east corridor. All is going according to plan. We did not follow them."

"But you will meet up with them again at sector 7-B, correct?" Umber interjected.

"Yes, sir," the stormtrooper said.

"Excused, then," Umber said.

The stormtrooper left.

Umber turned away from the door. "And Jacen Solo is here. Without the Force." He clasped his hands in front of his military fatigues, unneeded in the setting of a star destroyer. But his serious stance was not reflected in a slight smile on his lips. Everything was as he had foreseen. Except for that missing someone.

* * *

Jacen paced back and forth.

"And so I said to him, 'Artoo,' I said, 'this is not what we were told to do,' but he wouldn't listen. Delusions of grandeur, I tell you. Remember that Artoo? And so he rolled off to the front headquarters, and naturally I followed him. Someone has to keep an eye on him." Threepio's voice still droned on, explaining how Master Luke was a clever human being. He had yet to make his story make sense. Jacen had long since stopped listening and had taken up pacing.

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Back and forth…suddenly he stopped.

"Artoo, open the door!" He shook Artoo until the little droid came out of his standby mode. "Artoo! Open the door!"

"Master Jacen!" Threepio exclaimed. "Your mother told you perfectly clearly that you were to stay here with us."

"I don't give a scrap!" Jacen retorted. "I'm going to find my sister!" He went to the back of the supply room and found what he was looking for. Lightsabers. He grabbed two. It was a box of at least a dozen. He had no idea what they were here for, but they were here. Maybe the Empire planned to train Jedi of its own someday.

Artoo squealed. "Artoo, that is not acceptable!" Threepio complained. "Master Luke and Mistress Leia ordered us to stay here with Jacen. They will probably have us thrown into a scrap heap if we disobey."

Artoo's domed head swiveled back and forth from Jacen to Threepio. He rolled over to the panel and jacked in. He twittered and beeped. Suddenly, Artoo began shaking uncontrollably and was ejected out of the panel. Bolts of electricity coursed through his stumpy body as he gave an amazingly human scream and fell to the floor, powerless.

Threepio bustled over to him, wailing reprimands.

"I told you not to, Artoo! They likely have the door on an alarm. Oh, Artoo, say something! Artoo!"

Jacen shoved past the two droids and faced the panel. It was activated by a code. The buttons were there, but he didn't know which ones to push.

_5 7 4 3 2 2 0 _

As fast as the numbers came into his head, Jacen typed them. He did not know where they came from, nor did he really care. Just so long as they were correct.

They were and the door slid open. He stepped out and it slid shut behind him. Was it the Force? He still couldn't feel anything. No Jaina, no Luke, no Leia, no Han, nothing. He didn't know where to turn, how to find Jaina.

Right. Then left. Cross the courtyard. Left. Room 175. Hotwire: blue to red, green to purple.

Right. Jacen turned right and walked down a long hallway until he reached an intersection. Left. A large courtyard. Across it. Another intersection, turn left. There was a hallway of many doors. They were numbered: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on. Jacen jogged for a long time. 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175. 175!

There was a panel on it. Jacen pried the cover off easily. Only four wires were in it. He didn't know how to hotwire anything!

Hotwire: blue to red, green to purple.

Jacen followed the instructions in his head—they _had worked so far, and the door slid open._

Jaina lay to white bench in the back of the detention cell, sleeping. Jacen went to her and shook her shoulder slightly. She cried out and pulled away.

"Jaina? Jaina, it's Jacen."

"Jacen?" Her eyes began to focus.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"My arm," she said, her eyes full with tears. "I think it's broken. But, Jacen, you're alive?"

"Last time I checked," Jacen tried to joke.

"There's a void," Jaina said.

"I know," he said comfortingly. "It's okay though. I can't connect with the Force, but I am alive and okay. I am, Jaina. It's okay."

She was crying silently. "Is Uncle Luke here? And Mom? And Dad?"

"Yes. We came to get you. It's okay."

He sat down next to her and put his arms around her, full of brotherly concern. Jaina buried her face in his shoulder and choked out, "He's going to kill them!"

"What!?" Jacen asked. "Who's 'he'?"

"Umber. He's going to kill them and destroy the New Republic."

"Shhh," Jacen said. "He won't." Inside, Jacen was confused. What was all this? Jaina obviously wasn't in the condition to be interrogated. He had never seen her this mentally and emotionally hurt.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"Uncle Luke and Mom and Dad? I don't know."

"We need to find them!" Jaina cried desperately.

"Jaina, calm down. They'll find us."

"No!" she protested. "We have to find them now! They aren't even near the detention area yet. Umber's not letting Uncle Luke's mind find me!"

"What?" Jacen asked.

"He's a Sith!" Jaina pulled out of her brother's arms and hauled herself to her feet. Her face was streaked with tears and drawn with pain, but determined.

"Okay, okay." Jacen stood up and handed her a cylinder. She looked at it blankly. "A lightsaber. Just to be safe."

She nodded weakly. "I told them not to come," she said. 'They didn't listen."

Jacen had no idea what she was talking about, but he nodded.

They left the cell and the hallway, faced with the courtyard. Jaina cried out and fell back a step.

"What?" Jacen asked.

"It's here!" she yelled. "It's here! It's all over!" And began to cry.

* * *

Han kept his blaster at the ready. Who knew when he might need it. Leia had her hand on the lightsaber Luke had given her. And Luke had his own lightsaber in his hand.

"We're gonna have to split up," Han insisted. "We have to find her soon."

Luke nodded, and Leia agreed reluctantly.

"But you and Leia stay together," Luke told Han. "After one of us finds her, Leia and I can connect and we can meet at the supply room where we left Jacen and the droids."

Han agreed. "Sounds good to me, kid."

Luke grimaced. Leia noticed this and laughed. Han smiled. It was the first time he had heard Leia laugh since Jaina had disappeared.

Leia and Han moved off in one direction. Luke stood still and opened his mind. Jacen. _Jacen! Jacen had left the supply room. The message had been in his mind for less than an instant, and it had not come from his former link with Jacen. But he was sure it was true. There was no need to go to the supply room to verify it, Luke was so sure that it was true. Luke was furious. Jacen had promised, as a Jedi student and as Luke's nephew, to obey his instructions. And his instructions were definitely __not to leave the supply room. Luke took a deep breath and calmed himself. He had to find both twins now._

_Jaina! he yelled out in his mind. __Jaina, where are you? _

Through his strong and solid link with his niece, Luke felt a painful, wordless cry for help. He closed his eyes and sent reassurance back to her before sending a question.

_Calm down, Jaina. Now is not a good time to go into hysterics._

She did not respond.

_Is Jacen with you?_

_Yes! she answered._

_Where are you? I can help you. We'll get you out of here. Jacen too. You need to tell me where you are, Jaina._

Her answer was short and cryptic. Or maybe it was the best she could do at the time. Her answer was: _here. _

_Jaina! Jaina, I know you're 'here', but where are you exactly? _

No response.

_Jaina!_

Nothing. Luke opened his eyes and set off to find 'here.'


	14. Destiny

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters. I made up the plot and Umber. That's all. And this is the final chapter. So...yay!

* * *

She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. Jacen looked at her confusedly. Uncle Luke had told her to calm down, so she would. She _would. Jaina looked up at her brother calmly._

"Just fight your best, Jac. Let the Force determine your destiny."

"Jaina, what are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it, Jacen. It'll all be okay, right?"

"Yeah," he said, really worried about the way she was acting. What had the Imperials done to her? "Jain, you should try to get through to Uncle Luke. Tell him you're not doing so well."

"I don't need to," she answered. "He already connected with me."

"Did you tell him where we are?" Jacen asked.

"I think so," Jaina said confusedly. "I think I did, but I don't know."

"Did anyone hit you on the head?" Jacen asked earnestly.

"I don't know," she said helplessly. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Jacen was scared. Scared for Jaina. But unknown to him, Jaina was also scared. Scared for Jacen. She had been here before. In this courtyard.

Suddenly, Jaina gasped.

"What?" Jacen asked. His sister pointed across the courtyard and he turned to see a man crossing towards them. He was wearing a Jedi robe.

"Uncle Luke?" Jacen called, rising.

The man pushed back his hood, then removed his robe completely. Jacen's heart sank as he realized that this was not his uncle Luke.

Jaina worked at keeping the tears back. Umber had found them. They would fight, and she knew how it would end. Not to her favor. She rose to her feet. Her arm throbbed, but she pushed the pain out of her mind. There was another pain too, but she couldn't push it out of her heart.

Umber came to them. Jacen shrank back, but Jaina faced the Sith defiantly. She would protect her brother to the end. If she could.

Jacen stared at the newcomer confusedly. Jaina seemed to know him. What was going on here?

Umber came forwards, towards the twins. Jacen backed away, but Jaina held her ground, her right arm dangling painfully. The Sith unclenched a fist, revealing a lightsaber handle.

"Sith!" Jacen realized.

Umber turned to face him for the first time. He smiled slightly. Jacen gulped. His hand found his own lightsaber handle. He tossed the other to his sister and she held it drawn, ready to activate it. _Jaina knows something._

"Who are you and what do you want?" Jacen asked the Sith, hoping his voice was stronger than it sounded to himself.

"Grand Admiral Umber, follower of the late Emperor. And you are Jacen Solo." Jacen took another step back. "You cannot connect with the Force. Your power lies with me."

Jacen didn't understand the cryptic words. Jaina spoke.

"He stole your ability to touch the Force, Jacen." Her voice was monotonous and matter of fact. She still faced Umber, not looking at her brother. "He's preventing you from being a Jedi."

Jaina's blade sprang to life, a vivacious red color. She attacked Umber with the element of surprise more than anything. But he knew how to fight and she didn't. His lightsaber activated a split second after Jaina's. A black blade, radiating pitch black light. He pushed Jaina backwards with pressure from his lightsaber to hers.

Jacen attacked from the other side. His blade was identical to Jaina's. But his effort was less, and without the help of the Force, Jacen was pushed back easily. Jaina struck out again, and as she knew would happen, Umber kicked her in the shin and immediately pushed her down.

The strange thing was, even though she knew it would happen, there was nothing she could do to avoid it. Jacen attacked again and was again pushed away with little effort.

Jaina pulled herself to her feet painfully as Umber flipped over her head and landed behind her. He was so much bigger, so much stronger. If she was in this bad of a shape, what about Jacen, who couldn't use the Force?

Before she could turn to face him, Umber kicked the back of her knees, knocking her to the ground again. Lightning sprang from his fingertips, pummeling Jaina. She tried to jerk away, but the electricity followed her. It hurt…it hurt so much…

"Stop!" Jacen yelled out, running to Umber. Umber turned his blade off and hit Jacen in the stomach with the extinguished handle. Jacen doubled over with a gasp. Umber's blade reactivated, but Jacen reached up to connect with it again. They fought, Umber attacking and Jacen feebly parrying, Jacen feebly attacking and Umber parrying. Then came the moment Jaina had been waiting for. It happened suddenly and quickly.

Umber knocked the lightsaber from Jacen's hand, and stood facing him. Jacen shuddered and closed his eyes tightly.

And the missing person came. Luke ran in and saw Umber about to stab Jacen through. He ran the fastest he had ever run before and then leapt through the air. As he came down, his feet connected with Jacen's body, knocking him out of the way. His own green blade activated and locked with Umber's.

Jacen landed five meters from Jaina. He crawled to her side and winced from the blow his uncle had given him. The blow that had undoubtedly saved his life. Jaina's eyes were closed and her hair was messy, but she was alive. He touched her arm and received the biggest shock he had since shoving a slip of paper into a glowpanel on a dare. Her eyes fluttered open quickly at the shock and met Jacen's.

"You—you—you're alive?" she asked incredulously.

"Hey, glad you got a lot of faith in me," he said jokingly.

"Where's Umber?" she asked.

"There."

Jaina looked to see her uncle fighting against Umber. The fight was fast-paced and furious. Jaina didn't know who would win.

Luke looked Umber over as they tangled lightsabers. "Why did you kidnap Jaina?" he asked, almost conversationally.

"To get you to come here—to meet your death."

"What did you do to Jacen?" Luke demanded.

"I merely took away his ability to connect with the Force. His power is mine."

"No it's not!" Luke slammed his blade into Umber's angrily.

"Uncle Luke!" Jacen yelled warningly. Luke took a deep breath and controlled his anger. Great example you're setting for the twins, he chided himself.

Umber's power, combined with Jacen's, was enough to overwhelm Luke easily. He felt himself getting weaker and weaker, then something flashed through his mind and body, toughening him, increasing his own strength. It was Jaina's ability. She was forcing it into him. Umber and Jacen against Luke and Jaina. He drew from her power, pulling it all out of her and into his own body to use against Umber.

A dozen meters away from the battle, the twins sat, huddled together helplessly. Jaina now knew how vulnerable Jacen had felt when the Force had been taken from him. But her uncle Luke had needed it.

The fight seemed to last forever. First Umber had the top hand, then Luke, then Umber, and so on. But Umber's anger was his undoing. He began to weaken, then suddenly withdrew from Luke's fighting.

"Come with us," Luke said. "To Yavin 4, to Coruscant."

"No," Umber said.

"Everything can be fixed," Luke urged in the low voice he used when a trainee messed up and felt guilty.

"I can't," Umber said. "Just leave. I will order my men to let you go."

"You know that's not true," Luke responded.

"Then kill me," Umber's voice grew weaker, more pleading.

"No." Now it was Luke's turn to refuse.

"Please."

"No!" Luke said in a stronger voice.

Umber raised his lightsaber, as if to slice Luke in half. The twins watched in fear. Luke stood silently.

"You can kill me, Umber," he said. "But the Republic is too firmly rooted to be dug up and disposed of now. It is too late."

Umber brought the lightsaber down with a sharp cry. But it didn't touch Luke. It slid right through Umber's own heart. His body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

Jacen felt the Force come back to him, flooding him with a sense of security. Luke released Jaina's abilities back to her, and she sighed with relief.

Luke came over to them. Jacen looked up at him nervously, but Luke didn't say anything. He held out his hand to help Jacen to his feet. Then he helped Jaina up. She collapsed back to the ground, almost crying with the effort. Luke reached down and lifted his niece into his arms.

With his mind, Luke connected with Leia.

_Leia! Her response came quickly._

_Luke! Thank goodness. Are you all right?_

_Yes. I found Jaina. _

_Good. Luke, Han and I got back to the supply room because I got a strange feeling. And Jacen wasn't there. So we found one twin and the other's gone. There was more than just a hint of anxiety that came with the message._

_No, I have him. Luke reassured her.__ He's here. He found Jaina before I did. We're all coming back to the supply room. Be ready to make a quick escape. _

_Will do._

Jacen had heard all of the conversation now that he was back in the Force loop. He wasn't so sure about Jaina, though. His sister lay in Luke's arms, and hadn't moved a muscle or said a word since she had been lifted up.

Luke heard Jacen's thoughts. "She's unconscious. But she'll be okay." Jacen nodded.

"Uncle Luke, I'm sorry that I snuck out of the supply room. I had to go get Jaina. Umber wouldn't let you find her. He gave me the codes to get to her, and I did. It was wrong, I shouldn't have done it, but I'm glad I did."

Luke looked at his nephew. "Jacen, I'm not mad at you, though I can't speak for your parents. I'm just disappointed that you broke my trust."

"I know. I'm sorry. But Jaina needed me. I could feel that without the Force."

For a long moment, Luke gazed at Jacen in silence, his eyes speaking volumes of incommunicable thoughts.

"Jacen, you will make a strong Jedi someday," Luke said finally.

Jacen smiled slowly. He could tell that Luke had meant those words.


End file.
